Riding the Bullet

Right now you can watch Riding the Bullet in the US on Fawesome — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 222 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Jonathan Jackson's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Fawesome.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Riding the Bullet is worth clearing space for. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — Riding the Bullet earns every emotional beat it goes for. In 1969, while studying at the University of Maine, artist Alan Parker becomes obsessed with death. Believing he is losing his girlfriend, he tries to commit suicide on his birthday but his friends manage to stop him. He receives news that his mother has had a stroke and decides to hitchhike to visit her at the hospital. Jonathan Jackson and Barbara Hershey lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It was released in 2004. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in Riding the Bullet. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Jonathan Jackson is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.

Riding the Bullet was released in 2004, directed by Mick Garris. The full 98-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.